Editing 2130: Industry Nicknames

{{comic
| number    = 2130
| date      = March 29, 2019
| title     = Industry Nicknames
| image     = industry_nicknames.png
| titletext = As far as "being in the pocket of Big Egg" goes, I think the real threat is Chansey.
}}

==Explanation==
"Big industry" is a common nickname used to describe corporate concerns in the United States which have near-monopolistic control over significant areas of the economy, which allow them to wield a large amount of control over markets, as well as influencing political decisions. To be "in someone's pocket" means this entity can readily influence the subject's behavior, whether by bribery, blackmail, legal maneuvering, threats, lobbying, social influence, financial control, or any other means.

Of the 8 industries listed, {{w|Big Tobacco}} and {{w|Big Pharma}} are nicknames that are commonly used. [https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-03-27/warren-calls-for-breakup-of-big-ag-in-appeal-to-family-farmers Big Ag] is less commonly used, but is increasingly visible, as agriculture is increasingly dominated by large and powerful corporations, rather than individual family farms. While the rest of these names are purely fictional, Randall could be imagining a possible future in which these industries become big players in the political arena. The mining industry may be referred to in this context by sector, as {{w|Big Coal}} or {{w|Big Oil}} (Randall uses the term "big hole", which sounds much sillier. Most, but not all, forms of mining involve large holes.) The U.S. automobile industry was until recent decades referred to as "Detroit," later meaning only the {{w|Big Three automobile manufacturers}} before falling out of common usage. "Big Foot" is likely a reference to the mythical creature {{w|Bigfoot}}.  Those who have been on the rough end of how large organizations can push not only individuals but entire communities around in a mafia-like way may take issue with a medical board being equated with such groups.

[https://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Chansey_(Pok%C3%A9mon) Chansey], mentioned in the title text, is a type of female-only {{w|List of Pokémon|Pokémon}} who carries around an egg in her marsupial-like front pouch. For Chansey the phrase "in the pocket of Big Egg" would be rather literal, except that the egg is in her pocket, rather than the other way around. Randall does not specify why Chansey would be a "threat" or why a Pokémon would be bribing people. Perhaps because, if being in the pocket of Big Egg is bad, and Big Egg is in the pocket of Chansey, then Chansey controls Big Egg and is the one to worry about. 

Title text: Chansey is a pokemon who carries around an egg in her front pocket. https://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Chansey_(Pok%C3%A9mon)

==Transcript==
:[A line chart is shown going from left to right between two small vertical stop lines. On the line are eight dots spread out unevenly from close to each end. The most central dot is the one with furthest distance to the nearest dots, having almost the same distance in both direction the nearest dots. The other dots are in some cases very close. Beneath each dot there goes a line down to a label written beneath each line. Above the chart there is a big title and below that an explanation. Below that again, there is a small arrow pointing to the right with a label above it.]
:<big>Nicknames for Industries and Organizations</big>
:Ranked by how silly it sounds when you say someone is "In the pocket of..."

:[Arrow label:]
:Sillier

:[Labels for the eight dots from left to right:]
:Cigarette companies: "Big Tobacco"
:Drug companies: "Big Pharma"
:The farming industry: "Big Ag"
:Automakers: "Big Car"
:The International Equestrian Federation: "Big Horse"
:The Board of Podiatric Medicine: "Big Foot"
:The mining industry: "Big Hole"
:The American Egg Board: "Big Egg"

{{comic discussion}}

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